In John 20, Jesus, raised from the dead, sends the Holy Spirit to his disciples, gives them power to forgive and retain sins, and appears twice in a house with closed and locked doors.15 Jesus defeated the power of death and all the human and spiritual forces that conspired to kill him, and he revealed his authority by commissioning his disciples to go into the world in his name. Jesus has greater power and influence than any other ruler on earth, but Thomas only confesses the full extent of Jesus' lordship when Jesus shows his hands and his side. “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaims - not because he is suddenly impressed by Jesus' awesome power, but because this powerful God-man still bears the wounds of the cross. Jesus is Lord because He unites all creation to God, but Jesus accomplished this mighty task by coming to God. be with us in our brokenness.16 I visited a woman in intensive care several times throughout the summer. She suffered from a chronic and possibly terminal lung disease, and at each visit she cried, pleaded, and bargained with God for healing. During a visit, I ask...